Eintracht Frankfurt kicked off their 2026/27 season with a commanding 11-0 DFB-Pokal victory over fifth-tier SC St. Tönis, but the scoreline flatters a club still wrestling with serious structural problems ahead of their Bundesliga opener at Union Berlin on August 29. The real story at the Deutsche Bank Park this week is a goalkeeper situation that has become one of the most complicated in the Bundesliga.

The crisis was triggered by a catastrophic 0-7 pre-season loss to Brentford, which exposed deep defensive frailties and ended whatever remaining confidence new head coach Adi Hütter had in his current options between the posts. Kaua Santos, who started the Pokal tie despite his poor form, remains under intense scrutiny, while reports of a move to Leeds United for Michael Zetterer were firmly denied by the player's agent, who told Bild that a transfer "is not an option at this time."

That leaves Frankfurt's pursuit of Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu as the central transfer story. The 24-year-old has now parted ways with his agency Epic Sports after a turbulent summer in which promised moves to clubs like Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund never materialised. According to kicker, Atubolu now views Frankfurt as his "most stable alternative," though Freiburg's asking price of at least 15 million euros remains a significant obstacle given Frankfurt's financial constraints. Sportvorstand Markus Krösche is also tracking defenders, with Monaco's Thilo Kehrer and free agent Diogo Leite among the names linked. The club must strengthen quickly before the Bundesliga campaign begins.